How to Install Serum Presets

Getting Started 

1. Download a preset pack from our Serum category.
2. Unzip the contents
3. Open your DAW (in this example, I’ll be using Ableton)
4. Load Serum onto an instrument track

This guide covers installation methods for both Serum 1 and Serum 2 on Mac and Windows, plus how to troubleshoot common issues that you may run into.

First, below you’ll find the default install paths for your presets on both Windows and Mac.

(Windows)

(Mac)

Serum 2 uses folder-based presets; drop the whole pack folder in, don’t unpack individual files.

Which version of Serum do you have?

Before you do anything, check which version you are on, because the two different versions have entirely different 

How to check your serum version

Open Serum in your DAW. Click the Menu button in the top right corner of the Serum interface, then click About. The version number is at the top of the pop-up. Anything starting with 1.x is Serum 1. Anything starting with 2.x is Serum 2.

If you have Serum 2, you can still load old Serum 1 .fxp presets, but they live in a separate location. We will cover both. Skip to the section that matches your version.

How to install Serum 1 presets

Serum 1 uses .fxp files. Each preset is a single file, and the file goes inside Serum’s preset folder.

Step 1: Unzip the preset pack

Most preset packs arrive as a .zip or .rar file. Extract it before doing anything else.

• Windows: Right-click the file and choose Extract All. For .rar files, you will need WinRAR or 7-Zip.
• Mac: Double-click the file to extract it. For .rar files, use The Unarchiver from the App Store.

Once extracted, you should see a folder containing .fxp files (the presets), and sometimes additional folders called Tables, Noises, or Skins.

Step 2: Open Serum’s preset folder (the easy way)

The fastest way to find where presets live is to let Serum show you.

1. Open Serum in your DAW.
2. Click the Menu button in the top right of the Serum interface.
3. Click Show Serum Presets Folder.

A file explorer window will open at the right location. You will see folders called Presets, Tables, Noises, and Skins.

Step 3: Or navigate to the folder manually

If you cannot open Serum for some reason, you can find the folder yourself.

Windows:

Mac:

The Library folder on Mac is hidden by default. To get to it, open Finder, press Cmd + Shift + G, paste the path above, and hit Enter.

Step 4: Drop your pack into the User folder

Inside the Presets folder, you will see two subfolders: Factory and User. Always install third-party presets into User. This keeps your purchases separate from the presets that ship with Serum, so nothing gets overwritten if you reinstall.

Drag the unzipped preset folder (not the individual .fxp files) into User. Keep the folder structure as it came from the pack, sound designers organise their packs deliberately, and Serum reads it correctly.

Step 5: Rescan the preset browser

Back in Serum, your new presets will not show up until Serum rescans the folder.

Click the Menu button again and choose Rescan folders on disk. Your new pack should now appear in the preset browser under the folder name you just dropped in.

If you do not see Rescan folders on disk, close and reopen your DAW. That forces a fresh scan.

How to install Serum 2 presets

Serum 2 changed the preset system. It uses folder-based presets with .serumpreset and .serum2preset extensions, not individual .fxp files. The install location is also different.

Step 1: Unzip the preset pack

Same as with Serum 1 — extract the .zip or .rar file using the methods above. You should see a folder of preset files.

Step 2: Open the Serum 2 preset folder

1. Open Serum 2 in your DAW.
2. Click the Menu button in the top right.
3. Click Show Serum Presets Folder.

This is the safest way to find the folder, because if you installed Serum 2 to a custom location, the manual path will be wrong. Always let Serum show you.

If you need the manual path:

Windows:

Mac:

Step 3: Drop the entire pack folder in

This is the part most people get wrong. Do not extract the preset files and place them loose. Serum 2 expects the pack folder with its original structure. Drag the whole unzipped folder into the Presets directory.

Serum 2 only reads one level deep, so do not bury the folder inside multiple subfolders. The structure should look like this:

Step 4: Rescan, and you are done

Back in Serum 2, click Menu, then Rescan folders on disk. Your new pack appears in the browser.

How to use Serum 1 presets in Serum 2

If you have upgraded from Serum 1 to Serum 2 and still have old .fxp packs you want to use, Serum 2 supports them, but they go in a separate legacy folder.

In Serum 2, click Menu, then Show Serum Presets Folder. Look for a subfolder called Legacy Presets or Serum 1 Presets. Drop your old .fxp files there. Rescan, and they will appear in the browser alongside your Serum 2 presets.

If that folder does not exist, create it manually inside the Presets directory. Serum 2 will pick it up on the next rescan.

How to try a Serum Preset without installing it

If you just want to audition one .fxp preset without going through the full install, drag the file directly onto the Serum interface. The preset loads immediately, and you can play it. It will not appear in the browser, but it is the fastest way to test a sound. This works on both Mac and Windows, Serum 1 only; Serum 2 does not support drag-and-drop loading the same way.

Troubleshooting: why your Serum presets are not showing up

Why are my Serum presets not showing up?

This problem is almost always due to one of four things:

1. You installed to the wrong folder. Serum reads from a specific location. If you used Finder or File Explorer’s search to find a folder called “Serum” and dropped your pack there, you may have installed it inside the application bundle, not the preset folder. Use Menu → Show Serum Presets Folder in Serum to be certain.
2. You forgot to rescan. Serum does not check for new files in real time. Click Menu → Rescan folders on disk, or restart your DAW.
3. The files are still zipped. Serum cannot read .zip or .rar files. Extract them first.
4. You have Serum 2 but installed Serum 1 presets without using the legacy folder. See the migration section above.

“Serum preset folder not found” error

This usually means Serum cannot access the default preset directory, often because of antivirus software or permissions.

On Windows, temporarily disable real-time antivirus protection and try again. If presets show up, add an exception for the Documents\Xfer folder.

On Mac, the issue is usually folder permissions. Open Terminal and run:

This grants Serum the permissions it needs to read the folder.

Where do I put Serum presets on Mac?

The default location is ~/Library/Audio/Presets/Xfer Records/Serum Presets/Presets/User/. The ~/Library folder is hidden in Finder by default. To open it, click anywhere in Finder, press Cmd + Shift + G, and paste the path. If you are on Serum 2, replace Serum Presets with Serum 2 Presets.

I can see the presets, but they sound wrong

Two common causes:

• You are using an older Serum version than the one the pack was made for. Update Serum to the latest version via Xfer’s website, or wherever you purchased your version from.
• The pack uses custom wavetables or noises that you did not install. Check the original download for Tables or Noises folders and install them following the steps above.

How to organize your preset library

A few tips to help you actually find things later. Inside Presets/User/, create subfolders by genre or by pack, for example Trap Leads, Lofi Pads, House Plucks. Drop each pack into the relevant subfolder. Serum only reads one level deep inside User, so do not nest folders inside folders inside folders.

Naming matters: rename pack folders to start with a clear category prefix (e.g. LEAD - Future Bass Pack) and they will sort logically in the browser. This sounds minor until you have 40 packs and cannot find anything.

Frequently asked questions